Indigenous people around the globe, who are maintaining areas of forest, play a critical role in tackling climate change.

An article in the Huffington Post discusses the findings of a new report which makes the case for strengthening the rights of indigenous and local communities over their forests as a policy tool for mitigating climate change.

The report - Securing Rights, Combating Climate Change: How Strengthening Community Forest Rights Mitigates Climate Change - has been produced jointly by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI).

The article outlines the case of the Paiter-Surui people who inhabit the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. Against pressure from logging companies, they have maintained their forest both as their home and as the "lungs of the planet" for all of us. Through the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism, the Surui now earn money in exchange for reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere through taking care of the forest.

The report acknowledges that REDD+ is not without its problems, but states that "payments under REDD+ could incentivize governments to reform their legal frameworks and strengthen community forest rights if they are an integral part of a REDD+ agreement and implementation plan."

In another example, the organization Forest Trends has long fought for land tenure among forest communities. They provide training in areas such as agroforestry, sustainable forest products and renewable energy which are all geared towards ensuring communities earn a living from the sustainable use of forest resources.

The report clearly outlines how the tenure of indigenous people in forests is positively linked to reduced carbon emissions. “The goal now is to apply this highly scalable and transferable tool more actively across the planet.”

Read the full story: Reason for Climate Change Optimism as Forest Strategy Is Validated